The call was from Gary Nicholas – manager of Calso Health and Fitness Club in Bromley – and he was wondering why Lisa had not been in the gym lately.

Lisa, 51, has struggled with her weight since she can remember. From being nine stone at nine-years-old to being unable to be lifted on her 13th birthday.

Despite the lifelong struggle – Lisa, from Beckenham, has now dropped eight stone in just 18 months after initially weighing 18 stone.

“This would never ever have happened without that phone call,” she told News Shopper.

“I was in a vicious circle. I had a very unhealthy relationship with food. I was eating because I was fed up and I would then starve myself thinking that would work only to find the next fix and put the weight back.”

It was her sister Paula who encouraged her to go to Calso Gym to speak with Gary.

Gary told News Shopper: “One day I asked Paula where Lisa was because I had not seen her in a while. She told me her sister was not in a good place.

“I told her I would ring. We had a good chat. I told Lisa if she was willing to give 100 per cent I would give 100 per cent back.

“She did a couple of one to ones and the rest is history.”

Since then Lisa has attended her one to one every single week – only now she adds more classes and 10k runs into the mix!

At the start of the journey, Gary made Lisa update Facebook each week on how much weight she had lost.

Lisa said: “That was the hardest thing I had to do in my life. The comments and the likes and the encouragement I got from it was unbelievable.

“My friends and family are so proud of me. It has inspired by husband who has arthritis to join the gym and seven of my friends have joined Calso Slimming and Shape up Club (launched by Gary this year).

“I am finally happy with myself. That makes me proud. It is all down to that phone call.”

Lisa would encourage anyone who was in her position 18 months ago to join a gym likes Calso’s.

She said: “It is very personal and not pretentious. Everyone is greeted by name and with a smile. It is very relaxed. I want to say a massive thank you to Gary.

“It is hard to believe I have actually done this. It has been a lifelong struggle of mine. Going into a shop and buying a size ten is incredible. This is not something I have experienced before.”

Lisa is a primary school teaching assistant who now spends everyday visiting the gym.

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